Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-11-10
The SAMOAN ISLANDS.

Some PecuIiarfties OF tho Country and Its
Native Inhabitants.
The news OF troubles in the Samoan
Islands and the removal of the King
has brought most wildly to the mind
of the writer some pleasant days passed
in that most picturesque of mid-ocean
island groups. Right in the middle OF
the grand old ocean, with its beautiful
blue waters almost unfathOmable, until
some bright mind thought of using
piano wire to ascertain its depth. jump
up here and there peaks of what were
once volcanoes in active operation A
nearer approach discloses dense woods,
with green fertile patches dotted here
and there with the buildings of the ma
tives, and as one passes inside the coral
reefs, behind whose shelter the safest
of anchorages can be found, he is sur
Prised to see some good sized villages
well filled with people in European
costumes, whereas being clothed in
ones right mind, wita the addition of Il
breech clout for adults, was at one time
the only covering required The SIM
plicity OF. manner which has been men
toned by numerous early explorers who
visited the island still exists, more es-
pecially among those who live away
from the villages, and whose ideas show
an almost utter want of what to us are
the conventionnlities. Numerous were
the hearty laughs we had over their at
tempts at copying their European visit
ors, and the utter failures which at
tended their efforts.
The color of the natives is, as a rule,
dark olive. The bettG- class, however,
are much lighter. The men are tail
and we'll founled, giving one rather a
false idea of being quite athletic We
saw nothing during eur visit to indicate
their excelkng in sport of any kind.
The women are generally slight, but
quite symmetrical, easy and graceful,
and the most laughing, good-natured
creatures imaginable. Some of the
chiefs have two 'Or more wives, but
polygamy is rather the exception than
the rule, and even when there is more
than one wife separate establishments
are provided for each.
The great evenness of climate makes
two crops year a possibility, and
should some enterprising parties I'M
dertake practical farming in Samoa
there are immense returns to be had
But in climate where the temperature
is always between seventy and ninety
degrees energy seems to be the lacking
element toward the carrying out of eX-
tensive agricultural schemes, and now
the principal exports are ''coppra," OF
the dried meat of the cocoanut from
which oil is made, and small quantity
of cotton. Nearly all the trade is con-
trolled by some HambGrg houses, and
the Germans are by far the most
numerous of the foreigners. 1t seems
strange to hear that they are the ones
making the present trouble. Possibly
all the privileges they have been here
tofore enjoying were somewhat abro-
gated by the exiled King; hence his
removal and the establishing of one
more favOrably disposed in his place.
Ope of the never-failing sources of
delight during the stay of our ship at
the islands was to watch the wonder
full display of dexterity on the part of
the islanders in handling their canoes,
scores of which were daily plying about
the ship, lodging in and out, rushing
Mt each other under full Roadway, as
though one would go right through the
other, when by dexterous movement
of the paddle the speed of the boat
would be almost instantly arrested or
forced sufficiently out of her course TO
avoid accident. From this great skill
the Samoan Islands were named Grcbi-
pei DIES maUigateurs, and they to-day
are called, in addition to their more
common name, the Navigator Islands.
Commander Meade visited the islands
when in command of the steamer Mar
ragansett in 1872, and through his ex-
ertions succeeded in getting the chiefs
to place the harbor of Pango Pango I'M
der the protection of the United States
Government, with view toward estab-
fishing coaling station there, it being
on the direct route between America
and Australia. In the future it will
probably play an important part, rs the
harbor is completely landlocked and
has an entrance clear of rocks and wa
ter for the largest vessels. A special
agent was sent out after the return of
the Narragansett to negotiate the ex-
tension of the protectorate over all the
islands, as their value to us is beyond
any question greater than it can posi-
bly, be to any other nation, but in 1875
native chief was elected King, and
our special mission ended by the agent
becoming Prime Minister to the King.
The latter has shown numerous in
stances of friendly feeling to the United
States, and has granted permission to
establish a naval and coaling station
there, of which we have never fully ia
ken advantage.-N Y. Times.
The Color of Eyes.